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art

The walls of our first house were almost impossible to safely decorate. The drywall and plaster crumbled wherever we tried to insert a nail. Pictures hung on old hooks left by the previous owner in the oddest locations. We believe his preference for tall furniture drove the picture placement to what it was. Our furniture, being more generic in size and shape, opened wall space where it had previously been obscured by towering antiques.

We moved after 11 years to our current home. Here the materials are newer and we can tap a nail almost anywhere we please. The previous owner left his hanging points in place when he moved out. It seems he was a meticulous person. Each nail is perfectly centered on its particular surface. Almost all are at the same height from the floor.

What do we display? That is up to my wife. She is the artistic one. The rooms are accented with samples of her various artistic pursuits. Sure, we have some pictures of our kids, but most of the wall decorations are my wife’s own creations. Painted ceramic three-dimensional fruits hang in the kitchen. A mosaic tile project sits on the shelf in another room. Oil paintings of differing subjects (landscape, fairies, plants) are in with the pets.

I used to think we needed to attend local art shows searching for beautiful works to display in our home. I realized early in our marriage that we do not. As young married people with small children, money was too tight to spend on professional or semi-professional art. With time, creating her own art allowed for personal growth and stress relief in a way nothing else could. The result is a house accented with original artwork that reflects her taste that truly makes it a home.

What do you display on the walls of your home — photos, posters, artwork, nothing? How do you choose what to display? What mood are you trying to create?